On
July
24, 2009 at
about 9:30 p.m., a little boy was reported missing.

Robert
Manwill was
supposedly gone and his mother had no idea where he could be. This
story
is very close to home, only about 40 miles from where I live. Once
again,
the story had an ending that would shock everyone when police arrested
his mother and her boyfriend for his murder.

On
August 19, 2009,
Daniel Ehrlick Jr. and Melissa Scott Jenkins were in court in Ada
County,
in Boise Idaho, for an arraignment hearing. Both of these people had
been
arrested the day before on first degree murder charges in the death of
Robert Manwill.

Melissa
Scott Jenkins
was no stranger to legal trouble when it came to her children. In
October
of 2008, after hitting her baby sons head on a hard surface,
deliberately,
she was charged with a misdemeanor of injury to a child. The baby's
skull
was fractured and for her crime, Melissa was fined $75.50 and given a
29
day sentence of work release as well as being put on probation for two
years. At that time, someone had the good sense to take the baby away
from
her, she lost custody of her son.

The
father of that
baby, Daniel Edward Ehrlick, had also had his troubles with the law.
Charges
of burglary and possession of drug paraphernalia landed him in prison.
Daniel was also not allowed to be alone with Robert's half sister.

Charles
Manwill,
Robert's biological father, has had custody of him since January of
2008.
Melissa had not been able to care for him, though she did have
visitation
rights and Robert was with her the night he went missing.

Police
had taken
possession of vehicles and other evidence from the home stating that
all
appearances were pointing to Robert having been the victim of a "tragic
event". The yard of another South Boise home, which was a rental and
occupied
by a friend of Daniel Ehrlick, was searched.

On
August 3, 2009,
the body of a child was found floating in the New York Canal in Boise,
Idaho, on August 5, 2009, the child's body was positively identified as
Robert Manwill.

Robert
was described
as a "hugger" who had no problem hugging his teachers and friends:

Robert
spent most
of his time in New Plymouth, Idaho, with his father, Charles Manwill,
though
he also spent time with his mother in Boise. A child who loved to wear
super hero T-shirts and loafers that were too big for him, he was funny
and was full of funny stories and comments. Christy said that he had a
"quirky" way of answering questions:

"He'd
throw
out his hands and say, 'Wellllll ...He was very verbal that way. For
his
age, he
was very
verbal. He'd go into these explanations"

At
his school in
New Plymouth, a teaching assistant who helped Robert and some of his
classmates
with math said Robert gave her a hug when he left the lunch room, every
day:

"He'd
lean
his head on you, and say, 'I love you"

At
the Meridian Speedway
in Meridian, Idaho, there was a moment of silence for Robert and his
family,
before the cars started racing for the day. Drivers had put green
ribbons
on their cars and Robert's Uncle, Kyle Burrill had a picture of him on
his car. Robert used to watch his Uncle race there.

"He
loves it,
he loves racing"Trish
Burrill
- Robert's Aunt

Just
a few hours
earlier, people had walked from the apartment complex where Robert had
last been seen alive, to the Vista Avenue bridge, in memory of Robert.
They walked over the New York Canal, a few miles from where Robert had
been found. The walk was done 11 times, one for each day that Robert
had
been missing. The walkers said they wanted to show their support for
Robert's
family:

"We
talked
to the aunt and uncle yesterday, and the mom. It was really hard but we
wanted to show them that we're doing this for you"Heather
Fieseler

"It's
sadness
for me, but it's also closure for the community" Michelle
Walker

On
September 3, 2009,
Daniel Ehrlick and Melissa Jenkins both plead not guilty to first
degree
murder in the death of Robert Manwill. Each of the defendants didn't
say
a word during their hearing, not guilty pleas were entered for them, by
their lawyers. Judge Darla Williamson heard the pleas as both of them
came
before her, separately.

The
Grand Jury wrote
that Daniel was accused of severely beating Robert while Melissa
watched,
doing nothing to stop him and then lied to cover up what had taken
place.
The Grand Jury also found that Robert had been subjected to "escalating
physical violence" which eventually caused his death. Also in the
findings
was information stating that Daniel had become violent towards Robert
as
early as June of 2009, and that Melissa his Robert from Government
authorities
and would not let him be seen by anyone so that they could not see he
was
hurt.

The
Grand Jury stated
that Daniel killed Robert by the "intentional application of
torture"
and by "inflicting extreme or prolonged pain with the intent to cause
suffering,
to execute vengeance, or to satisfy some sadistic inclination, by
inflicting
repeated acts of blunt force trauma to the abdomen and/or head of
Robert
Manwill." In their findings, they listed that Melissa had left Robert
with
Daniel even though she knew what he was doing to him.

The
state had until
October of 2009 to decide if they will seek the death penalty against
Daniel
and Melissa. A hearing was set for November 5, 2009 which was when a
trial
date would most likely be set. Daniel and Melissa waived their rights
to
a speedy trial.

UPDATE:

In
September of 2011, Daniel Ehrlick, who was
38 years old at the time, was sentenced to life in prison without
the possibility of parole, for what he had done to Robert
Manwill. Daniel had been found guilty of first degree murder in June.
There have been very few stories I have read where the killer actually
gets REAL life in prison, they
almost
always get life with the possibility of parole sentence. THIS sentence makes my heart smile.

What
doesn't make me smile is the sentence that
Melissa Jenkins was given after pleading guilty to aiding and
abetting second degree murder. Melissa was allowed to plea in order to
get a reduced sentence of ONLY
25
years in prison. In court, when she had to face Robert's biological
father, Charles, Melissa said it was her fault
that Robert was not "With us anymore" and that she would repent for his
death for the rest of her life. Charles didn't
even look at her as she apologized.

Death
occurred in the state of Idaho

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